This invention relates to tagging data assets.
Diverse types of digital assets are stored in computer systems. For example, a computer system can store files and database records containing electronic mail messages, digitized photographs, compressed motion video, sound, and text. Such information can be stored as file objects in a hierarchically-arranged directory tree, or as records within a relational database. Some storage systems have limited organization capabilities that are restricted by static relationships between the stored digital asset and its location in the file system directory hierarchy or database.
Improvements in the logical organization, storage, and retrieval of digital assets can be obtained using metadata. Metadata, also referred to as xe2x80x9cdata about data,xe2x80x9d is information that can be used to describe characteristics of a stored asset and that can be altered independently of the asset itself. For example, metadata can be used to describe the author and creation data of a graphic image file without altering the stored graphic image.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method of responding to a user request that a computer program application open a data asset. The method includes presenting to the user a location interface to receive data asset location information from the user to locate a desired data asset. The location interface is linked to a searchable tag database that includes concept data elements, asset references, and associations. Concept data elements each represent a concept and have a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information. Asset references each comprise a storage location identifier for a corresponding data asset. Each association represents a relation between a data asset and a concept. The method also includes receiving from the user a query identifying a concept and a relation. In response to the query, the tag database may be used to identify a set of data assets each having a specified relation with an identified concept. The identified set of data assets may thereafter be presented to the user.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for responding to a user request that a computer program application open a data asset. The program includes instructions operable to cause a computer to present a location interface to the user, instructions to receive data asset location information from the user, instructions to link the location interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, instructions to receive a query identifying a concept and a relation, instructions to use the tag database to identify a set of data assets each having the relation with the concept, and instructions to present information identifying the set of data assets.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The tag database can include a plurality of relation data elements. Each relation data element represents a relation between other tag database elements. Relations can have a hierarchy specified by relation hierarchy information. A tag data interface can be used to display concepts and relations that can be searched for during an xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d operation. A user can use the tag data interface to select elements defining a query. In response to the query, information identifying a set of data assets satisfying the query can be displayed. The set of data assets can be identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having a specified relation (or a relation that is hierarchically related to the specified relation) with an identified concept (or with a concept what is hierarchically related to the identified concept). A query can identify multiple associations (each represented by a concept and corresponding relation) that are logically grouped. For example, multiple associations may be grouped using boolean logic operations. A user can use the tag data interface to select a data asset from the set of data assets, and a file handle for the selected asset can be returned to the application.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method of responding to a user request that a computer program application save a data asset. The method includes presenting a storage interface to the user and linking the storage interface to a searchable tag database. The storage interface can be used to receive location information from the user to identify a storage location identifier for a data asset to be saved. The tag database includes concept data elements, asset references, and associations. The method also includes receiving location information and an association for the data asset being saved, and storing an asset reference and the association in the tag database.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Information identifying all concepts and relations that can be selected during a xe2x80x9csavexe2x80x9d operation can be received from the tag database and displayed to a user through a tag data interface. The tag data interface can be used to select tag elements identifying associations for an asset. A tag creation interface can be provided to a user to define concepts, relations, and the hierarchical organization of concepts and relations. The asset location information may be a file name or a database identifier.
The invention may provide one or more of the following advantages. Digital assets can be stored and organized based on user-defined criteria. Asset organization restrictions imposed by a computer file system hierarchy can be reduced. Dynamic organization of documents based on query parameters can be provided. Text-based descriptive data can be associated with non-text data. Organization, storage, and retrieval of assets by descriptive parameters can be provided. Descriptive information can be associated with stored data without altering the data""s contents.